Local views differ widely on ramp project

Anthony, a resident of the Timberbrooke townhouse complex at the
corner of Route 202-206 and Washington Valley Road, doesn't believe
the proposed ramps connecting the busy state highway with
Interstate 78 would do anything but increase traffic going past her
development. A proposed L-shaped sound wall along two sides of the
Timberbrooke, she claims, would be unattractive and ineffective in
stopping noise.

"I'm not for it, and I don't know anybody else here who is for
it," said Anthony, noting that Timberbrooke residents signed
petitions opposing the project several years ago.

Blakeslee, on the other hand, lives on Oakura Lane, a small
cul-de-sac street extending between Washington Valley Road and
I-78. He believes the ramp project would be helpful in alleviating
traffic congestion through Pluckemin village, but is upset because
the DOT plans don't include sound walls to protect his neighbor
hood.

"Everyone in this neighborhood was so disappointed," said
Blakeslee, a former Township Committee member. "We've been living
with the rumblings of trucks for years, and it's gotten really
bad."

Anthony and Blakeslee's divergent views are typical of the mixed
local opinion that was expressed at a DOT public information forum
last Wednesday night, Feb. 13.

More than 250 residents of Bedminster and Bridgewater Township
came to a conference room in the Bridgewater Manor restaurant to
look at the state's plans for the $24 million project, ask
questions and offer comments.

According to DOT project manager Miriam Crum, there was little
agreement among those attending the forum on which aspects of the
project are desirable and which are not.

"I wouldn't say we have an overall consensus on a solution," she
said. "The kind of questions being asked made me feel as though we
need to be doing a little more work to bring residents up to speed
on why we chose the alternatives we did."

The DOT's drawings showed a series of entrance and exit ramps
connecting Route 202-206 with I-78 just north of the
Bedminster-Bridgewater border. In addition to depicting a
1,200-foot section of sound wall wrapping around the southwestern
corner of the Timberbrooke complex, maps also showed a 2,600-foot
length of sound wall separating I-78 from the Sunset Lake section
of Bridgewater.

'24-Hour Issue'

Blakeslee, whose neighborhood is on the opposite side of I-78
from Sunset Lake, doesn't think the proposed plan is
fair.

"They're putting sound barriers on the other side of the
highway, which makes things even worse for us," said Blakeslee,
claiming that noise would amplified under that plan. "Most of my
neighbors and I feel that if the state is not going to put sound
barriers up (on both sides), it's not worth doing the
project."

While Blakeslee does believe the ramps "would relieve the
traffic situation somewhat" in the center of Pluckemin, he feels
that sound barriers are a more important consideration.

"Noise is a 24-hour-a-day issue, not a four-hour issue," he
said. The congestion through Pluckemin village, Blakeslee said,
lasts for only a couple of hours each morning and a couple of hours
each evening.

While Blakeslee would welcome sound barriers between I-78 and
the Oakura Lane neighborhood, Timberbrooke residents like Anthony
don't want them at least not the way they've been proposed by the
DOT.

Anthony said the 16-foot concrete walls would be built right
along the Timberbrooke property line, blocking views and casting
long shadows. "It would be like c losing us into prison, for God's
sake," she said.

Anthony added that she and her neighbors have little confidence
that the noise barriers would make things quieter. "Those sound
barriers don't work, from what I've heard," she said. "Plus, the
older they get, the uglier they look."

She's also not convinced that the proposed highway ramps
wouldn't make a bad traffic situation worse.

Although Anthony concedes that traffic going between I-78 and
office buildings in Bridgewater would be removed from the center of
Pluckemin, she believes other vehicles from I-78 would exit onto
northbound Route 202-206 instead of following I-78 to Interstate
287.

"I don't think you're going to correct this problem by dumping
more traffic on Route 202-206," she said. "I can't see where this
is going to work; none of us can."

Crum said all of the public's questions and comments will be
taken into consideration as the ramp and sound wall project enters
the "final scope" phase, in which the geometry of the ramps will be
refined and environmental impacts will be assessed.

The next phase would be "final design," in which the state would
acquire rights of way while continuing to seek public
opinion.

"It's a continuing process," said Crum. "It's not a
meet-once-and-then- walk- away process." She said the DOT expects
to hold another public information forum in the late summer or
early fall to update local residents on proposed changes to the
plans.

Crum said the actual construction probably won't begin for
another four or more years. That's on top of the eight to 10 years
that Bedminster officials have already spent lobbying for the
project.

"It's not a quick process, but I think we'll be picking up speed
now," Crum said.

Watch this discussion.Stop watching this discussion.

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

Be Yourself. We do not accept and will not approve
anonymous comments. If your username is not your name, please sign
your posts as you would a letter to the editor with your full name
and hometown.Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.

Online Poll

In recent weeks, Long Hill Township and Watchung Borough passed ordinances allowing their police departments to be able to apply for surplus equipment from the Department of Defense. Long Hill recently procured a Humvee to use in times of flooding, which Watchung states as the reason they are getting into the program. However, in cities around the country, police forces have used the program to obtain military gear, such as weapons and armor.
For more background, go to the link below
http://www.newjerseyhills.com/echoes-sentinel/news/watchung-police-department-hopes-to-receive-equipment-from-department-of/article_12ad002a-92b3-5449-a2cc-4b2cf0ce4339.html